Duignan returns to St. Rynaghs

20 January 2006

Former Offaly star and RTE analyst Michael Duignan has rejoined his native St. Rynaghs from Durrow where he has lived for the past few years.

Duignan looked set to finish his playing career with the Westmeath-border club after joining them two years ago, but that will not now be happening. The former county dual player managed the St. Rynaghs senior hurling team last year and is still at the helm this year, but it is believed he intends playing intermediate or junior hurling as well.Another former county player on the move is David Coffey, who has transferred from Ballyfore to Birr. Coffey has lived in Birr for the past few years and has now decided to wind down his football career with them.

There was some consolation for Ballyfore, however, with Sylvester Nutterfield returning to them after his brief sojourn with Edenderry.

Meanwhile, there will no longer be a weaker group in the adult football and hurling championships after a proposal to change the format of recent years was unanimously accepted at the January meeting of the county board.

Both senior football and hurling championship will now consist of three groups decided by an open draw and the semi-finalists and finalists from last year will be seeded.